Top Dog
by DanniMitchell85
Summary: Ricky Evans is a free lance dog trainer/handler, in Hawaii for a dog competition when she crosses paths with Steve and Danny. Set in Season 1, Romance/Drama/Crime/Action. Steve/OC/Danny. "I bet we wouldn't get shot at as much if we had a dog," - Danny.
1. Chapter 1

Please read authors notes at the end of the chapter. Thank you.

_**Top Dog**_

_**Chapter ONE**_

Sunlight reflected off the pristine crystal clear aqua water, giving the appearance there were simmering gems just under the warm waters surface. Inhaling the humid salty air around her, Ricky couldn't help but smile as she rested back on her army green beach towel. The warm rays of the sun worked to melt away the aches and pains she had been fighting to ignore all week. The last five days had been fun, exciting, stressful, and even educational. It was one of the rare times that she got to mix her professional life with that of her personal one, not that she had much of a personal life outside her father and brothers.

Feeling the slight shift of movement next to her, Ricky turned her head to look at the irresistible puppy brown eyes of her partner in crime, Murphy. She fought off the urge to laugh as she saw her trusted friend and partner as he wiggled his tail in a playful manner.

"Haven't you had enough with chasing that thing?" Ricky asked as she brought her hand up to shield the bright sunlight from her eyes. The large German Shepard only dropped the brightly colored red rubber ball and pushed it closer to her with his noise, not caring that sand stuck to his wet snout. The look of pure hope was killing her resolve to relax and ignore him; it wasn't fair that he always got his way.

"Okay," she said, pushing herself up and off her towel. "We'll play for a little while," she told him with a pointed look as if she was talking to a young child and not a dog. Readjusting her black board shorts and white tank that covered her red bikini top as she stood up, taking a moment to look around the beach.

It was early on a mid September Monday morning, most of the locals where working or still sleeping off the weekend. The only people that were on the beach this time of day were those looking to catch an early swell before too many other surfers showed up to hog all the waves. For Ricky, it was the perfect time to enjoy Hawaii and take in its natural beauty. The white sandy beaches, clean and clear waters, lush green trees, and salty breeze always seemed like home to her. Every time she came to visit, she would consider her brother's offer to move to the main island, to finally place some roots.

A loud bark from Murphy pulled her out of her thoughts. "Alright already!" she laughed as she bent down to pick up the rubber ball. She couldn't help but smile as he seemed to forget all his training as a certified service dog -trained in search/rescue and recovery, as well as narcotics, explosive and bomb detection, and recently as an attack dog- as he wiggled like an uncontrollable puppy.

She had to admit that she was proud of the five year old German Shepard, he was one of only three dogs in the world who was certified in all five areas of service, and was requested the most when natural disasters hit. She, herself was trained EMT and disaster relief expert, on top of being a prestigious dog trainer. Because the demand for aid in other counties was almost constant, they were always on the move, one country to another. But she always found herself back in Hawaii where most her family was stationed.

Still holding onto the ball, Ricky ignored the protest in her muscles as she reached back with her left arm and launched the ball as far as she could down the beach. She wasn't as good at throwing as her brothers had been, but she was still pretty darn good for a girl. Rubbing her worn out shoulder, she watched as Murphy took off after the ball. She was amazed that after everything he had done this week that he still had the energy to chase after that rubber ball as if his life depended on it.

For the last five days, all they had been doing consisted of training exercises, obedience drills, and obstacle courses. It was all part of the Top Dog Competition that was held at Schofield Barracks each year. The purpose of the week long competition was to gather the best service dogs in the nation to test their abilities, as well as having a place for all the handlers to network and learn other ways of training and working with their K-9 companions.

The competitors ranged from Army soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Transportation Security Administration -or TSA- and the HPD, their backgrounds where all different, but their goals where all the same, the protection of the American people and human life.

This was the first year that she had been invited to join the competition as a civilian free lance handler and trainer. It also helped that her brother was the kennel master and the one running the competition. It had been easy for him to get her invite approved once he had shown her qualifications to his superior officer. With her first hand experience in search and rescue and disaster relief and her history of training dogs for narcotics and explosives detection, she had proven that she was on the same playing level as the others. True she was young, only twenty eight, but she had been training and working with dogs for the last thirteen years, had two degrees to back up her knowledge, and spoke four different languages fluently.

Seeing Murphy make his way back to her, red ball covered in sand firmly in his mouth, she bent down to greet him. "Good boy," she praised as she took the ball from his mouth, and rubbed his head. Standing up, she threw that ball once again -this time into the water- and watched as he took off after it. Bounding and leaping into the braking waves to retrieve his ball, Murphy never stopped.

A few more times Ricky threw the ball, each and every time Murphy would take off after it with a new found energy, only to bring it back and release it into her hands with hope that she would throw it one more time. Ricky had to admit that out of all the dogs she had in the past, Murphy was by far her favorite. His personality was matched by none other, and she found him better company than most people. He never judged her, never left her side, and was beyond loyal to her. He picked up on her moods, knowing when she needed some cuddling time or a lick on the cheek. In short he was her best friend and partner. She couldn't help but wonder why it was so hard to find those same quality's in a person.

Once again Murphy returned with the red ball. "No more, my arm can't take it," she said with a sad smile. Reaching into the beach bag she had brought with her, she pulled out a plastic bowl and a large bottle of water. Uncapping the water and pouring a large amount into the bowl, she laughed as Murphy tried to drink the clean water as she poured it.

"What do you say we soak a few more rays in and then get some lunch?" she asked as she rubbed his head. The only response was his slurping of water followed by his panting. "You worn yourself out," she spoke to him in a kind voice. It was no secret that Murphy had a tendency to overdo and overwork himself, even when having fun. It was true what they said about those who worked hard, they played harder. Murphy was no exception to that rule.

Like most dogs, he was always willing to do whatever it took to get a pat on the head and be told 'job well done'. Often times when working, she would have to force him to get a drink and eat something, he would get so focused on the job, that he would forget his baser instincts. He was so willing to do whatever it took to make her happy, that he would rather work himself to death than stop on his own accord.

Once they both had something to quench their thirst, Ricky sat back down on her towel stretching out and got comfortable. It was still early and there wasn't any more tests or competitions scheduled till later in the afternoon, so there wasn't any need to rush. This was one of the only times she would have to herself, and she planed on enjoying every moment of it. As she closed her eyes to block out the bright sun, she could feel Murphy laying down next to her, keeping an eye out on everyone who walked by. Always true, always fateful.

"Simper Fi," she said more to herself than to Murphy, thinking about the motto of the United State Marines. It had been a saying that she had heard growing up her whole life, it was the one thing her father had told her and her brothers to never forget. _'Always be true, always be fateful to those close to you_.' she could hear his gruff voice tell her.

It had been a while since she had seen her father last, work getting in the way for both of them, but they did talk on the phone often. She had hoped that after her time with her brother, she could find the time to visit her father, maybe she would try and surprise the old man. That is if her brother ever let her leave, she couldn't hold back the smile as she thought of her older brother.

Ever since she had arrived in Hawaii two weeks ago, Mark had been taking up most of her time. He had asked her input on all the competitions, and even had her come in to talk to some of his first year handlers. What little time she had left after helping him around the kennels was spent going around and meeting all his fellow comrades and commanding officers. From friendly dinners to grabbing a drink at a local bar, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was hoping that she would catch the eye of one of his service buddies. It was no secret that the men in her family wanted her to find someone to make her happy, and they would prefer that he was someone in uniform.

'_You're born into a military family, Ricky. You know it's only a matter of time before you marry into one._' Mark had told her once, and she knew that it was true. Her father and brothers where all military, she would have been too if it hadn't been for her health, and her father had once told her that she could marry whomever she wanted, as long as he had put time into serving his country.

Reaching up subconsciously, she rubbed lightly at her shirt covered chest. Thinking on the matter a bit more, she couldn't help but wonder if that was why she did what she did. Sure she loved her work, took pride in working with dogs and helping others who were in need, but was there more to it than that? Growing up she had lived from one base to another, always moving and changing almost every three years if not more. Was that why she found it so hard to stay in one place for too long? She knew that she could ask herself the same question over and over and she still would come up empty handed and without an answer.

Ten minutes into her deep thoughtful sun soak, she felt Murphy get up and stand ridged beside her, pulling her out of her thoughts. All the years of training him and knowing how he reacted, told Ricky that something was going on around them. Getting up and grabbing a hold of his collar first, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. A man running down the beach.

Normally this wouldn't be of any concern to her, but there were too many things wrong with the picture. His state of dress of jeans and a dark long sleeve shirt, frequent glances behind his shoulder as he ran, and the shoving of others out of his way as he tried to make his way down the beach told her that he was trying to run from something. The dead giveaway that something was wrong though was the gun that he was clearly waving around to get others out of his way.

"Hold," she commanded Murphy. She could feel the coil in his muscles, and knew that his recent training as an attack dog was kicking in. He had been trained, and passed all the tests, but he had never been put into a live situation where he had to use the skills that he was taught. He kept pulling forward, and she was finding it harder to keep hold of the eighty five pounds of pure aggression that was emanating from him. Her muscles burned with the strain but she kept her grip in his collar firm, ignoring the nylon as it bit into her hands.

Weighing her options and wondering what she should do, she looked further down the beach. Sure enough she saw two other men running upon the sand, both with guns drawn but lowered. What made them different was the fact that she could clearly see two golden badges flashing in the sunlight. The one in the lead was moving fast and would no doubt catch the man in due time, but after looking back to where he was headed, Ricky knew that it wasn't going to be fast enough.

Just ahead of the man was a sidewalk and a parking lot. If he made it to the cars he would have cover to open fire, have the chance of stealing a car and making a break for it, or taking a hostage. She had no clue as to what crime the man had committed, but the fact that he was running from two officers and was waving a gun around a public beach was all she needed to know that he was a danger to everyone around. Making up her mind, she gave Murphy the command.

"Murphy, take him down," she said in a firm voice and then let him lose. He shot out only to build up speed, sand kicking up from his paws as he seemed to fly over the beach to take down the armed man. She took off after him, knowing that once he got a hold of the man, he wouldn't let him lose until she gave him the order, just like he was trained to do.

Pushing herself to her limits, Ricky could hear the shouting of the two men now behind her; clearly they were trying to warn her to stay away. She knew that they were only doing their job, but she didn't have the time to stop and tell them that she knew what she was doing. There was no doubt in her mind that they were going to ask her questions after this was all said and done, and more than likely not be happy that she had just let Murphy lose on their suspect, but those where things that she was willing to deal with. In her eye's the safety of innocent people came first, everything else followed.

Reaching Murphy just as he jumped on the man, Ricky saw him biting into the arm that was holding onto the gun, locking his jaws tight and growling aggressively. Acting quickly, Ricky stepped on his wrist and reached down to remove the weapon from his hands, tossing it a few feet away and out of his reach. Taking a hold of Murphy's collar, she told him that he had done a great job, but she didn't give him the command to release the man just yet.

She wasn't stupid enough to think that he wouldn't try to go for the gun once she pried Murphy of him. The man was clearly larger than herself, and she wasn't about to risk him reaching the weapon and taking aim at her or her partner. They had gained the element of surprise, something that she wasn't about to waste.

"Get this dog off me!" the man yelled out in pain as Murphy tore through his long sleeve shirt, twisting his arm around as if it was nothing more than a rag toy.

"The more you move, the more he is going to apply pressure to get you to stop. So stop moving!" she advised the man, not showing an ounce of compassion in her tone of voice.

Hearing the two undercover officers who had been chasing the gunman finally catch up and come up behind her, she gave Murphy the release order. Without having to be told twice, he let go of the man's arm and backed off, but he was still eyeing him in case he decided to take off and make a run for it.

The moment that Murphy's jaws released the man's arm, one of the two officers jumped on him, turning him over and pulling his arms up and behind his back, not caring that one of his arms was bleeding and ripped open. "Be thankful the dog got you," he said as anger seeped from his voice. Ricky didn't have to know what had happened to know that whoever this man was, he was livid, more than likely because he just had to run who knows what distance down a beach after this gunman.

Once the runner was cuffed and passed off to another officer, this one in full uniform, did the two men who had been running after him turn to her. The one who had jumped on the man and cuffed him was the taller of the two. Military combat boots, kaki cargo pants, lose fitted white t-shirt, and slight sheen of sweat on his brow; it was easy for her to tell that he was military, current or former she wasn't sure. The way he held himself and the way he had been running on the sand told her that he was more than likely Navy or Marines. This was Hawaii after all; there were a lot of military on the island. With his rugged dark brown hair, bright eyes, and tone physique it was easy to see that he was attractive, even while he was coming down from the high of the bust.

His partner, she was guessing, was also rather eye catching. He was shorter but still somehow taller than her. With blond hair, blue eyes, and strong jaw line, Ricky was starting to get nervous. She had always found it hard to be around attractive men. Even thought she had grown up on military base her whole life, had three older brothers and an over protective father, she could never fight of the jitters that she would get when around handsome men.

It didn't help that both men were giving off a strong 'male vibe' as she liked to call it. The vibe that real men gave off, the type that weren't afraid to get their hands dirty and where more than capable to take care of themselves. It was also easy to tell that, even if they weren't in uniform, they were clearly senor officers. All other officers who were arriving on the scene were looking to them for direction and orders.

She couldn't help but admire that. Normally anyone who was higher in rank didn't get as involved with cases, to the point of hands on. They would sit in their stuffy offices, and take all the credit for the work their team did. It was refreshing to see that there were other men out there like her brothers and father. These two men, whatever their rank, were very hands on. A thought that warmed her cheeks.

She took a moment while they were talking to each other and the other officers to check on Murphy and make sure that he hadn't chipped any of his teeth while he had held the man down. The adrenaline was wearing off, and she was starting to get nervous that she had done something wrong. She couldn't help but second guess her decision in letting Murphy attack the man. She didn't miss the glances that they would send her way while they were talking, and it added to the heavy feeling in her gut.

She stood up as the two men approached her, still keeping a firm grip on Murphy's collar. "I'm sorry if I interfered with a police investigation, it's just that it looked like you could've used a hand catching him before her got a chance to get in a car." she explained, nodding to the parking lot that was just a few feet away.

"I'm not sure if that was incredibly brave or stupid, what you just did." the shorter blond man spoke as he pulled at his brightly colored tie to loosen it, and then held out his hand. "Detective Danny Williams, and this is my partner Commander Steve McGarrett, Hawaii 5-0 Task Force. You and your furry partner just help us catch a man wanted for a triple murder."

"Well, it's kind of what he is trained to do, so…" Ricky said as she reached out to grab hold of his hand and locked in a firm handshake. "Ricky Evans," she introduced herself. "Short for Rebecca," she added at the last moment out of a nervous habit as she looked down to see that Murphy was calming down. At the time she had never thought that the man could have been behind a murder, it was reassuring to her to know that she had made the right decision in letting Murphy go.

"What do you mean he's trained to do it?" the other man, Steve asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, his shirt pulling tight across his shoulders. "He's an attack dog?" She didn't miss the calculated look the Commander was giving Murphy, and tried not to laugh as the German Sheppard tilted his head while he meant his stare.

"Murphy is a trained service dog," she answered as she eased up on the hold she had on him. "Murphy say hi," she spoke to him. She couldn't help but smile at the looks of shock on the two men's faces as Murphy walked up to them and held out his paw, waiting to shake their hands. All signs of the attack dong in him was gone, he was back to the loving dog whom had been chasing the red rubber ball earlier.

"He's normally a tracker, a dog who uses his nose to locate something. People, drugs, bombs, you name it he can find it, but he is also trained to be an attack dog when needed." Ricky said as she watched Danny bend down and start to rub Murphy's head. She could tell that he was a dog person, what guy wasn't? "I would have never let him go if I thought he wouldn't be able to take the man down. I would never have put the lives of innocent people in harm's way."

"You a cop?" Steve asked as he kept a firm stance and an eye on Murphy while Danny took his time in rubbing and petting the dog. "I have to ask. You talk like one, and have an attack dog," he said pointing both his hands down to Murphy who was getting attention from his partner.

With a laugh Ricky could only shake her head no. "I'm just a free lance dog handler and trainer, but I have worked closely with different law enforcement over the years."

"Is that what brings you to Hawaii?" Danny asked as he stood up.

"Kind of, I'm here for the Top Dog Competition," she answered truthfully.

"The what?" Danny asked with a confused look, then looked over to Steve with raised eyebrows in silent communication. Ricky could tell that they had a good partnership, the ability to understand nonverbal request wasn't something that just happened over night.

"The Top Dog Competition is a national competition that is held at the Schofield Barracks each year." Steve answered his partner, and then turned to Ricky. "I thought they ended that back in two thousand and one?"

"They did. After the attack on nine eleven, there was a high demand for service dogs, and most of them came from Hawaii. My brother is the kennel master at Schofield Barracks and found a whole bunch of pictures and articles from the past years when he took over and thought that it would be fun to bring the competition back. They first came back in two thousand and nine, and so far every year since," she informed them.

"So you and Murphy are part of the competition then?" Danny asked as he looked down to the dog that was standing beside her now.

"Yeah, first free lance trainer/handler." She said with a shy smile. It wasn't hard to tell that Danny was the more people person of the two, his partner had yet to relax in his stance and that only supported her earlier thought of him being military.

"Well I believe that if he performs as well as he did today, he should have no problem winning." Danny said with a kind smile.

She fought off the urge to blush as she saw the kind dimples form on his cheeks as he smiled at her. "You would be surprised by the competition; there are better dogs than him," she said. At the sound of light growling from Murphy, Danny and Ricky couldn't help but laugh, and she was glad to see that Commander McGarrett relaxed and let the small smile tug at his lips.

"Sounds like he disagrees with you there." Danny said.

"Well on behalf of Hawaii 5-0, thank you for stepping in when you did." Steve thanked her. "But we'll need to get some information from you in case we need to contact you."

"Sure, of course." Ricky replied.

After giving them her information, phone number and the address that she was staying at, she shook both their hands and made her way back to her things that she had left behind. Pulling out her phone she saw that it was approaching noon, and time to get going. They would have just enough time to grab something to eat and change before the next round of competitions started. She was just glad that for the most part there wasn't going to be much running required today.

As she was loading everything into the back of her brother's truck that she was barrowing, she couldn't help but think about Steve and Danny. They seemed so different, and yet it was clear to see that they both worked well together. The fact that they were part of the Governor's Task Force told her that they were both highly skilled, something that she couldn't help but respect. The fact that they were both very handsome and attractive in their own ways was something that she couldn't deny either.

Sure the woman in her was dreaming up all the romantic encounters that she could have with either one of them, but the relist in her was forcing her to see facts. They were highly trained and very busy men, working for the Governor to keep Hawaii safe. If she was ever contacted about the case, and asked about her involvement, she doubted that she would be speaking with them again. They were sure to have a whole department for that type of thing.

Besides, men like them were not single. Even if they were, they were sure to have plenty of women lined up to satisfy any craving that would arise. They had to be married or have an entire black book full of numbers to call. As much as she was glad to have met the two handsome men, she knew that they where way out of her league. Besides, she wasn't even going to be staying on the island long enough to even see if anything could happen, she was always on the move.

With a sad smile she stopped her train of thought. She had been single for a long time and she was used to it. She wasn't even sure what she would do if she was ever asked out on a date. She was so out of practice that she would just end up embarrassing herself, and the result would be humiliation, not a second date.

With a shake of her head she made sure that everything was loaded up. Once Murphy was placed inside the cabin of the truck, she got in and pulled out of the parking lot. She could only hope and pray that today's adventure didn't reach the ears of her brothers, and begged God that her father never found out. They never liked to hear when she was placed in dangerous situations.

With one last glance in the rearview mirror, she saw both Lt Commander McGarrett and Detective Williams standing side by side while talking to two other officers. The flashing lights of the squad cars faded as she turned onto the main street, and she fought to push out all memory and thought of the two men she had meant. Nothing is going to come of it, she told herself.

_**Authors Notes:**_ As most of you know, I love to keep things fresh and new, and I hate writing a story line or plot that has been done and over done. This is my first full on Hawaii 5-0 story, and this plot has been running in my head for a while, I just haven't had the time to get it out.

This takes place sometime in the 1st season, but will not be following the same plot. This is an 'M' rated story, and will contain graphic violence, adult/mature themes, some harsh language, romance, drama, and hurt/comfort.

I hope that you all will enjoy the story, and please review and let me know what you think.

_**Facts about the story….**_

I try to keep things as real as I can. The Top Dog Competition is real and is held at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. It's sponsored by the 728th Military Police (MP's) Battalion and the 13th Military Police Detachment, both of them based at Schofield Barracks.

The competition was held every year up till 2001 when they had to stop because of the high demand for trained service dogs. Sgt 1st Class Michael McPeak -Kennel Master- of the 13th MP Det, 728th Military Police Battalion was the one to bring the competition back in 2009 after taking over the position.

Over forty dogs and their trainers/handlers attend the contest each year to see who would win the title of Top Dog. They are graded on: Obedience, bomb detection, narcotics location, obstacle course, search and rescue, and the hardest hit competition where they have to chase someone in a padded protective suit to see witch dog has the most force.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Authors Notes:**_ Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and to those of you who have added this story to your alerts list. I'm glad to know that you all are enjoying the story so far, and I hope that I can keep you all coming back for more. As always, I love to know what you all think, so please feel free to review once you have read the chapter.

Also, if you would like to see who I thought would play Ricky, take a minute to check out my profile page. I have a list of stories and pictures of all my OC's. The links for Ricky and Murphy are lower on the list. As other new and main plot line characters come into the story, I'll be posting new pictures.

_**Top Dog**_

_**Chapter TWO**_

Physical excretion, whatever amount, was nothing new for Steve McGarrett. Having spent over eighteen years in the military and four years in military prep school, he had learned early on that his body was just another tool to use in order to reach his goals. He worked hard to keep in shape, fought to make sure that he was always able to meet any physical requirement. Should his weapons backfire and his ammunition ran out, the only thing he had left to rely on was his own two hands, his inner strength, and sharpened mind.

Being able to swim five hundred yards in under nine minutes, accomplishing over one hundred push-ups and sit-up in under two minutes, having the ability to complete more than twenty pull ups without pause or stopping, and ultimately being about to run one point five miles in eight minutes and fifty nine seconds. Things that anyone in the world outside of the SEAL's would call insane, became second nature to him. He knew what he was capable of handling, knew what his limits where and knew when to call it quits. His time spent as a Navy SEAL only intensified his training, sharpening his skills to a dangerous point. Mixing the powerful arsenal of knowledge that he picked up as a part of the special forces team and his time with Naval Intelligence, he knew that he was a dangerous weapon, something he knew came in handy as the leader of the Governor's Task Force.

Steve had known his new team, those who worked with him on the Hawaii 5-0 Task Force, didn't fully understand what he was capable of. Sure they had seen him chase after suspects, fight hand to hand combat in close quarters, and use a vast amount of other skills he had picked up while in service to his country, but it still wasn't a scratch on the surface. If Steve was honest with himself, he would have to admit that he found himself holding back. Now that he was out of the Navy and in the reserves, he didn't want to show too much of what he was capable of accomplishing.

However when he and his partner had began chasing after the man who was behind the brutal murder of his wife, her lover, and his teen age son, Steve found himself pushing forward with all his might. The burning in his thighs oddly refreshing, and a reassurance that he was going to catch the man before he could hurt anyone else.

He was so focused on the man while he ran down the beach, he didn't even see the large dog gaining on his target. For a brief moment Steve took his eyes off the running male to look over and see a small woman catching up with the German Sheppard, unable to fight off the tightness that took hold of his chest. Surprise, shock and then fear caught him off guard as he tried to call out for her to stop. Warning her that she was in danger and she needed to stay back. All his training kicked in, his reason for joining the Navy and later becoming a SEAL flashed before him. Everything that he had been trained, taught, and learned was in order to keep others safe, to make sure that innocent people didn't get hurt.

He didn't even known that he had slowed down a fraction while he had been yelling, unable to process what he was seeing. In all his years in the service, he had never seen anyone willingly run into the heart of danger, except his fellow brothers in arms.

It had been the sound of Danny's shouting voice that broke him out of his thoughts, bring him back to the heated situation they were in the middle of. He pushed his legs faster, hopping to reach the women before she would end up injured. He didn't want to risk anyone else, person or pet to fall victim to John Katter, but he knew if he had to choose he would willing save the woman.

The shock of watching the large dog leap, jumping in the air with deadly intent, only to reach out with dangerous teeth and latch onto the killer was a surprise. Steve had seen attack dogs in action, many times over the years, and it was still unnerving to see the animals take down a large, grown man as if they were nothing. As much as he heard the phrase_ 'man's best friend' _he also knew that if trained properly, a dog could be someone's worst nightmare. He had a very healthy respect, and fear, for the fierce and vicious dogs.

However that wasn't the end to the shocking developments that signaled the end of their three day case. As he closed the distance, he could only watch as the young woman reached out and latched onto the collar of the dog while he tore into the man's arm. He watched as she stepped onto his arm and removed the weapon, tossing it a few feet away. Every movement that she made was clean, telling Steve that she knew what she was doing.

He had heard her give the dog the command to release the man and he didn't waste any time in jumping on him to make sure that he wouldn't be able to jump up and try to make a run for it, or reach out and grab the young woman in a desperate attempt to get away. Once he had cuffed John and passed him off to another officer, none too kindly, he had the opportunity to observe the dog and it's handler. Now that he was able to focus on the pair, not worried about their immediate safety, he took a moment to study them.

From what he could tell the dog was in great health, even after the flurry of activity he didn't look to be overworked. His fur coat had a healthy shine and his gum line and teeth where clean, telling him that he was well cared for. He was also very well trained. Steve hadn't missed the response time when his handler had commanded him to release the suspect, obeying without a second thought. It was enough to tell him that this wasn't just any dog, and he most defiantly wasn't just a normal pet.

It was the handler who gave him the most surprise. In the past, any time he had spent with other handlers on missions or training exercises, they had all been men of a large physical build. They had to be in order to command and control most of the dogs. Steve also knew that German Shepherds where one of the larger breeds and that they could weigh up to ninety pounds, so the sight of a small women who couldn't weigh more than one hundred ten pounds soaking wet, being able to demand and control the large animal was shocking.

But it was her soft appearance that threw him for the biggest loop. She looked nothing like what he knew dog handlers to look like. At fist glace, he would think her a teacher or nurse. Her eyes where kind, soft and calming, the bright blue only shining brighter in the sunlight. Her skin was sun kissed but not overly exposed, and even though her dark brown hair was pulled back, Steve could tell that it was thick and full. He would be lying if he didn't think she was attractive, and he could tell that his partner was more then taken with the small woman.

He listened as she talked, answering the questions asked of her, and he couldn't help but take note that she was nervous. Every time he would try to make eye contact, she would glance down at the sand beneath her feet or over to the large dog resting next to her. Part of him couldn't help but think it was rather endearing, here she stood after aiding in taking down a killer and yet she found it difficult to hold a conversation with him and his partner.

The knowledge that she was also the only free lance civilian at the Top Dog competition peaked Steve's interest. He had never been to one, never having worked in the K-9 units, but he had heard stories of the test and trails that they would set up for the dogs and their handlers. As much as the contest had been set up as a way to showcase the talent and skill of the teams, he knew that it wasn't a walk in the park.

"Why don't we have a dog?" Danny's question cut through Steve's thoughts, pulling him back to the fact that they were done with the case and walking back to the car. Even though they had to chase after the guy, he felt good knowing that they had caught him and he was going to be locked up for the rest of his life. "I mean did you see how fast he took that guy down, it would make catching the bad guys a lot easier," Danny added as he rested his forearms on the hood of his car.

"Not wearing a tie and suit would make catching the bad guys easier." Steve answered back quickly, not giving up on the opportunity to poke fun at his partner for his choice of clothing.

"Why does it always have to go back to my tie, I like my tie, it makes me look the part." Danny defended himself as he lifted his tie up and looked at it.

It was one of his favorite ties Steve knew. His young daughter Grace had gotten it for him as a gift. It hadn't been his birthday, Christmas, or even father's day, it was a random gift and one that Steve knew made Danny happy when he wore it. It didn't matter that the tie was a bright blue with lime green strips on it.

"And don't try and change the subject," Danny added as he opened the passenger side door and slid inside the sliver sports car.

"We are not getting a dog." Steve said as he sat behind the wheel and started the engine. Even though he knew that dogs where a great tool and able to accomplish a number of tasks, they were also living breathing things that needed to be cared for.

"Why not?" Danny replied as he leaned back in the seat. "I think we should have a vote."

As much as Steve was the leader of the team, it was a well known fact that he often asked his team for their input before making a final decision. Something that he regretted at times, but he understood the importance of everyone being on the same boat. He had seen the effects of what poor leadership resulted in, and their job was far too important to fall due to in-house disagreements.

Steve looked over to Danny with a hard look while putting the car in drive. "Do you know how much work a dog is?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

"Yes, I do," Danny tried to cut him off.

"Oh really?" Steve said as he raised his eyebrows and waited for a response.

"Yes," Danny replied with a firm nod of his head, not saying anything more.

"Okay, alright. So let's say we get a dog?" Steve said entertaining his partners train of thought. "Who is going to feed it?" he asked as he looked back to the road, and then shot Danny another look. "Walk it? Clean up after it?" he continued. "What about all the training in order for the dog to actually be of any use to us? A dog is a lot of responsibility," Steve agued his point. "And they are not cheap."

"Wow," Danny said as he looked at his partner. "When did my father get here?" he said with a hard look at Steve. "I know they are a lot of responsibility, but they are also a very good tool when needed."

"When, and _if_, we ever need a dog we'll call HPD and use their dogs." Steve responded hoping to end the conversation. With a sideways look at the man who had become more like a brother, Steve couldn't help but smile when he thought about what this might really be about. "This has nothing to do with getting a dog." he said pointing out. "At least not just any dog. You want Murphy, and his handler," he added with a knowing smile.

Danny shot up and fought to keep the shock off his face. "And you don't! Did you see her?" Steve didn't argue. He had been pleasantly surprised once he had gotten a good look at the young women who had been holding what he thought was a vicious attack dog. She couldn't have been older than thirty. Ricky wasn't very tall, only standing at roughly five foot four or five, and was small but by no means thin. She had muscle and curves in all the right places, and being the warm blooded male that he was, he couldn't help but think about her as any man would a woman.

"Yeah I saw her." Steve said in a low voice, breaking Danny out of his thoughts. Even though she had been wearing black surf shorts and a white tank over her red suit, Steve hadn't been able to stop his male brain from admiring her body. He was so use to women walking down the beach in as little to nothing as possible, trying to gain the lustful attention of any man strolling by. It was refreshing to see that she held some respect for her body, showing off just enough to tantalize.

"Then don't tell me that you aren't thinking the same thing." Danny said under his breath, they both knew a beautiful woman when they saw one. Ricky Evans was someone who had caught both their attention that much was fact. Steve also knew enough about his partner to know that this wasn't going to be the last time they saw her.

"She's a free lance trainer, meaning that she works case to case." Danny added with a hint of hope. "It would cut down on time training our own dog," he added. "She said herself that she has worked with other law enforcement in the past," Danny added while looking over to Steve. He couldn't help but smile as he saw the wheels in Steve's head start to turn. Steve kept his eyes on the road as he drove, trying to fight off the debate that Danny was forcing on him. He had to admit that when his partner wanted something, he wasn't going to just let it go.

Danny was about to say more on the subject when his phone rang. With another knowing look at his partner, Danny answered the phone. "Yeah Chin we got him, he's headed back to the station now." Danny replied to his teammates questions. "Hey, do you know someone who got an invite to the Top Dog Competition?" he asked as a last thought before hanging up. Steve couldn't help but smile and shake his head as he heard Danny ask the Hawaiian native about the contest.

'_Yeah, one of my old partners is in the K-9 unit now, why?'_ Steve heard Chin reply. Looking over he saw that Danny had placed his phone on speaker so that he could hear the whole conversation.

"Do they have anything going on today?" Danny asked, he was unable to hide the wide smile forming on his lips as he looked over to Steve. Steve couldn't help but frown his brows in worry as he listened to the conversation as he drove.

'_They are doing the narcotics search today. The HPD is supplying the drugs that they confiscated in that bust a few weeks ago.' _Chin informed him.

"Great, call and let them know that 5-0 is going to transport it. Grab Kono, and meet us at the back." Danny said with a smile.

'_Sure thing, but what's going on?' _the confusion was clear in his voice.

"Where going to go watch a dog competition." Danny responded with a smile before he hung up.

Steve could only shake his head and smile. "You just can't take no for an answer can you?" Steve said more than asked.

"What? You can't blame me for trying. Just think of all the times that having a dog would help us out." Danny said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I bet we wouldn't get shot at as much if we had a dog," he added under his breath still loud enough that Steve could hear him. "Besides, what's the worst that can happen?"

"You could get bit." Steve said in quick response. "But at least you may not get shot at as much," he said with a tilt of his head. "You do realize that women like bullet wounds more than animal bits right?" Steve joked.

"Just drive," Danny said as he pointed to the road.

With a smile in place, Steve drove back to the headquarters to pick up the rest of his team. As much as he enjoyed giving Danny a hard time, a part of him couldn't deny the fact that he was looking forward to seeing Ricky and Murphy in action again.

As soon as they got back to HQ he would have Kono run a full background search on her, finding out everything that they could before they arrived to the competition. As much as Steve kept telling himself that it was because she got involved in their case, he knew that deep down he was wanting to see if she would even be able to be of any real use to the team.

He knew that once Danny found out about the search he would do a victory dance, but there was still too much left up in the air. However the more he thought about it, the more the idea was growing on him. Having a highly trained dog on the team would make their jobs easier and it would speed up with case turn over. In his mind, the more cases they get and solve, the more people they save, and that was one thing that Steve couldn't turn down.

_**Authors Notes:**_ Once again, I hope that you all enjoyed the new chapter, and please feel free to review and let me know what you think.

_**Facts about the story:**_ The requirements that I wrote about for the Navy SEAL's training is all true. I try to keep things as close to fact and real life as I can, and I try to spent time reading and researching things if I'm not sure. As much as I love to write, I love to put a story together that has fact built right in. It helps the story feel more real.


	3. note

Dear _Top Dog _readers,

It is with great regret that I must inform you all that I will be unable to continue with most of the stories that I have been working on. Over the last few months much has happened and I have had to make many hard decisions.

About a month ago, my computer crashed and I lost everything. All the stories that I had been working on, chapters to update, and other works that I had yet to even post. (I even lost all the baby pictures of my son.) We were unable to save anything, and it is very despairing to have lost everything so suddenly. Most of you understand that it take a lot of time and effort to bring to life the writing on a page, and when I lost everything it hurt. I will admit that I was very depressed that we were unable to recover anything to the point that my husband went out and bought me a new computer to try and cheer me up. (He tries.)

Along with losing everything on the computer, I have been rather sick. I suffer from Crohn's, and for the last 12 years I have been in remission. However the last few months it has come back full force and I have been having to deal with the pain, even having to go to the ER. Unable to eat much and spending most of my days resting. It's hard to find time to write, when I also have my son to look after. The only up side to the liquid diet is the weight lost! (I have been wanting to lose weight for a while now, however this wasn't the way I wanted to do it, but I'm trying to look for the good side in this.)

Last but not least, I have been working on a very personal project. Writing a book. Unlike writing fan fiction, writing a book take much more time and effort. Having to spend time developing each and every character, plot and outcome. With the help of my father, he has been able to make contact with some editors and publishers who have shown an interest in the plot, I can only hope to write something new and fresh or everyone to read.

I am unsure how long it will take to finish the book, but I know that it's going to take time.

I am very thankful to all my readers, those of you who have reviewed and have added me to their alert list, and even their favorite list. With all the feedback, good and bad, it has helped make me a better writer, and I can only hope to grow as I continue to work on this new project.

If you would like to learn more, or been informed about the book once it comes out, please let me know through a e-mail or review, and I will contact you. I do try to respond to everyone, however it may take time.

If all goes well this is not a goodbye, but the opening to another chapter. I do hope to pick up on the stories and bring them to an end at some point, I'm just unsure when that till happen.

I love you all so very much, and thank you for all your support and understanding.

Danni (DanniMitchell85)


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